ethanol_dependence
Table of Contents
alcohol dependence
see also:
physical dependence:
- “DT - level” requires:
- blood concentration of ethanol > 100mg/dl most of waking day (intake 200-350g/d) for period of 1wk, or,
- 4-7wks at levels nearer 100mg/dl;
- ie. 1-1.5 bottles spirits, 3-5 bottles wine, or 5-9 litres beer each day)
alcohol dependence indicators:
- having an early morning drink or 'eye opener'
- exceeding NHMRC recommendations (pdf) for low risk, sensible drinking:
- short-term:
- men - 6 std drinks in one day, < 4 days per wk
- women - 4 std drinks in one day, < 4 days per wk
- long term:
- men - 4 std drinks in one day, up to 28 per wk
- women - 2 std drinks in one day, up to 14 per wk
- no alcohol free days in the week
- reduced social or occupational activities as a result of time spent either obtaining alcohol or recovering from its effects
withdrawal syndrome:
"Hangover":
- headache, vertigo, N, pallor, sweating, nystagmus, tachycardia;
- responds to more ethanol → use is 1st sign of physical depend.
- ? due to:
- persistence of mechanisms → ac. P/D tolerance;
- dehydration & electrolyte disturbance;
- hypoglycaemia, lactic acidaemia;
Full Syndrome:
1st phase:
- in mild-mod. dependence;
- onset 8-24hrs →
- nervousness, apprehension, muscle weakness
- tremor, nausea, retching, anorexia, “butterflies in stomach”.
2nd phase:
- in mod-severe dependence;
- abstinence continued → develops 12-24hrs in 1st phase
- marked tremor, muscle cramps, incr. body temp., sweating, diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, tachycardia, incr. BP, incr. incr. agitation.
- insomnia - only brief completely REM-sleep full of nightmares, hyperpnoea → initial metab. acidosis → resp. alkalosis
3rd phase: delirium tremens
- begins 2-4 days after onset abstinence with persisting phase 1&2 S/S;
- verbalised delusions (muttering delirium), confusion, disorientation, marked agitation, panic reactions, paranoid reactions + auditory hallucinations
- hyperacusis may precede auditory hallucinations;
- tactile & visual (often terrifying) hallucinations;
- tremor ++++ may be interspersed with clonic jerks → petit mal → grand mal → status;
- Untreated mortality 15-50% assoc. with convulsions, hyperthermia, coma, shock;
- If survives, lasts up to 3 days then deep sleep & awakes calm & lucid but full recovery with return to REM sleep in normal proportion takes about 2 weeks from onset abstinence, but delayed if nutritional/organic disorders incurred during the ethanol use;
ethanol_dependence.txt · Last modified: 2014/01/10 00:12 by 127.0.0.1